Surgical implants for use in the pelvic region are fast becoming important for an aging population. Pelvic tissue conditions are becoming more common, such as incontinence and tissue prolapse, in females and males. One example of a pelvic implant to treat such a condition is the urethral sling, is useful for treating incontinence. Other examples include similar implants are useful for treating, e.g., pelvic organ prolapse such as vaginal prolapse.
New methods are being developed for improving safety and efficacy of these implants and methods of installation. Recent developments have led to methods of implantation that use a transobturator tissue path. See, for example, Assignee's copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/064,875, filed Feb. 24, 2005, by Anderson et al., and titled Transobturator Surgical Articles and Methods. The use of a tissue path that traverses the obturator foramen calls for new features of surgical implants and systems that allow ease of installation and good efficacy and functioning of an implant during chronic implantation.
With these new surgical approaches, there is continuing need to improve urethral sling implants to be as effective, safe, and easy to install as possible, with long-lasting efficacy of treatment.